


As Long As Forever Lasts

by Rachel_Lu



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Also kisses, F/M, Fluff, Immortality, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, immortal ten, immortality with a twist!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-29
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-05-30 05:48:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15090320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rachel_Lu/pseuds/Rachel_Lu
Summary: This is written for my irl friend Emma, who has put up with my TenRose obsession since 2015 and suggested this based off a tumblr post!  I hope it's what you wanted, girlie!PS: i wanted to make this canon-verse but the muse gave me a firm no on that one, so it's AU





	As Long As Forever Lasts

**Author's Note:**

> This is written for my irl friend Emma, who has put up with my TenRose obsession since 2015 and suggested this based off a tumblr post! I hope it's what you wanted, girlie!
> 
>  
> 
> PS: i wanted to make this canon-verse but the muse gave me a firm no on that one, so it's AU

“I’m immortal.”

“What?” Rose furrowed her brows at her boyfriend, who, up till now, she had considered to be quite normal.  She wanted to laugh, but looking at him, she knew that he was absolutely serious. 

She’d met John Smith at a senior mixer, and he was absolutely magnetic.  He was kind and had come right up to her, which had made her feel completely flattered.  He’d danced with her all night and hadn’t looked at any other girls, then asked for her phone number.  They’d been together for seven months now, but she had always thought his eyes looked like they belonged to an old soul.

“I’m sorry, wait,” She put her head in her hands, not sure how to respond.  “What- what are you trying to tell me?”

It had been an odd moment for him to tell her, considering he’d just arrived at her flat and she’d just kissed him hello.  He was looking down at her with worried eyes, and looked like he was about to start wringing his hands and sweating. He shut the door to her flat and took her by the hand, leading her to the couch.  She let him guide her to a seat, and he pulled up his messenger bag from his side, laying it in his lap. 

“I’m not sure how to start,” He said softly, “But I'm not lying to you, Rose, I would  _ never  _ lie to you.”

“I know,” she replied, frowning at him.  “But, um, that’s just a really weird thing to say to someone, John.  I’d like to know what you’re talking about.”

He ran his hand through his hair, making it stand up on end even more than it usually did.  She found herself smiling a little in spite of herself. Cocking her head, she waited for him to speak, knowing that he was going to have to speak.  The last thing she wanted to do was make him nervous or uncomfortable. 

“I- I knew when we started dating that I’d have to tell you,” he said, raising his eyes to hers.  “And I knew it had to be soon, because, well, you wouldn't want me to lie to you. And Rose, I wouldn’t want to lie to you.”

“I know,” she was starting to feel a bit afraid, not of him, but whatever it was he was about to say.  Sweat was beading on his brow and he was making eye contact, but he looked as though he was afraid of what her response would be to anything he was going to say. 

“Look,” he pulled a scrapbook out of his bag.  “I have… News, as well, that applies to this. An offer, really.  Um… Here.” He shoved the scrapbook at her and got to his feet, beginning to pace about the room.  

Rose watched him for a few moments, then looked down at the leather scrapbook that he’d handed to her.  It looked well worn, well over a hundred years old at least. She flipped it open and saw a black and white, aged photo of what appeared to be her and John.  They were wearing high collared clothes, she had a hat on with her hair up, and neither of them were smiling.

“Um… Did we ever go to one of those old-timey photo places?” She asked.

“No.”

“Okay, so… Who are these people?”

“Keep looking, Rose.”

Flipping through the book, she saw more and more of the old photos, some with others, some just the two of them.  As time went on there were different photos of what appeared to be the two of them, in different time periods. Rose frowned at the photos. She didn’t remember any of them being taken, but they were clearly her.

“John, this is scaring me,” she said softly, looking up at him.  He stood in front of her, his hands in his pockets, looking down into her eyes. 

“It’s you,” he said softly.  “Different incarnations of you.”

She put her head in her hands, mostly because she couldn’t look at him  _ and  _ also think straight.  “Okay, that doesn’t make any sense, John.  What’s here right now is you and me I don’t know these people.”

He got down on his knees in front of her, putting his hands on the couch on either side of her. “I know it’s strange, Rose, but  _ please,  _ just consider the possibility of it.  I’m immortal, and for years, I’ve been searching for you.”

She lifted her head and found his eyes looking dark and urgent, fear present in them.  “What does that mean?”

He blew out his cheeks and ran his hand through his hair again.  She grabbed his hand in both of hers just so he would stop. Smiling sheepishly at her, he finally replied, “You’re my soulmate, over and over again.  Every life you live, I’ve been there for. Every incarnation of you, I’ve married.”

It was terribly romantic, and she wanted to believe it. But the skeptical part of her wasn’t sure she believed him.  His eyes were earnest, searching,  _ begging her  _ to believe him.  She breathed out a sigh.  

“Wouldn’t I remember past lives?” Rose asked softly, “I don’t know the women in these pictures, John, even if you say they’re me.”

“They are you,” he said, tapping the book with the hand she wasn’t holding.  “Every single woman in this book. It’s a journal of my life with you, over and over again.  And this is your tenth incarnation.”

Rose blinked.  “I’m so confused,” she murmured, “How is this possible?  There’s no such thing-”

“Rose, please don’t deny what’s right in front of you,” he pleaded.  

She looked down at the book again, and sighed deeply.  “Alright,” She said, “Say I do believe you. So why are you so excited about this?  My tenth incarnation, you said. What does that mean?”

“It means that this is it for me,” he said, “I’ve found you. This is it.”

“I don’t understand,” She whispered.

“I’m not the only one like me,” John explained patiently, still sitting calmly in front of her.  “There’s others, and there are rules. If the immortal can find their true soulmate ten times, on the tenth time, they get to grow old with them.”

Rose frowned. “So you just stumbled upon me ten times?”

He shook his head. “No.  No, Rose, I was searching for you.  Every time I lost you, every time you-” He choked on his words, his head hanging forward.  

Rose pushed the book to the side and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to lessen it, it’s just a lot to handle, you know?”

He held her about the waist, chin on her shoulder. “Yeah, I know,” he whispered.  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to spring all this on you, and normally, I never would have.  But I want you to know that I want to grow old with you.”

Feeling him holding her, and looking at the pictures, she felt herself sway.  She had no reason to believe that John would lie to her, and the pictures only proved his points.  She blew out her cheeks. “So, you looked for me?”

“Scoured the earth,” he said, pulling back from her embrace until her hands were just resting on his shoulders to look her in the eyes. “The first time I found you, Rose, I knew you were my soulmate.”

She smiled a little.  “How did we meet?”

“Well, there are gaps between your incarnations, but the first time we met was before the fall of the Roman Empire.  You were the daughter of a sculptor, and I was taken with you immediately. I was really hoping that my soulmate would be you, and we were married about a year after we met.”

Rose chewed her bottom lip.  “Do you… Do you love me everytime, or are you just looking for me because I’m what you’re used to?”

“I love you,” he said firmly.  It was the first time he’d ever said it to her, and her breath hitched when she heard it.  He blushed and looked away from her, but continued rambling on. 

“I love when we watch movies and you put your glasses on, I love whenever we go out to dinner and you dress up, I love cuddling with you on the couch when you’re in your sweatpants and you haven’t done a thing to your hair.  Every version of you, Rose Tyler, I have adored.”

She swallowed hard.  “I don’t know what to say,” She whispered.

“I know, I can’t expect anything from you, can I?”  He smiled a little. “But I can’t… I won’t age unless you accept.  I’m not using you, Rose.”  
“Yeah,” She nodded, “I know that.”  And she did. John was genuine, if nothing else, and she knew that he wouldn’t say anything like that to her if he didn’t mean it.  She wasn’t sure why she was finding it all easier to believe now, but she was. Giving the hair on the back of his head a little tug, she pulled back to pick up the book again.  She sighed as she flipped through the photos again, wishing she could remember the past lives that John was talking about. 

“Did we ever have children?” She asked.

“No,” he shook his head. “I’m sterile until my last chance.”

“Did… Did I know that?”

“Yes.  You weren’t very happy about it.  In 1809, we adopted a son.” John flipped to the page, the two of them sitting stoically for a portrait, a little boy with red hair sat between them.  “His name was Albert. Grew to be very old, with a wife and kids of his own.”

Rose touched the photo. “Wow,” She said, looking at him.  “I wish I remembered.”

“It’s okay,” he said, “You can’t be expected to remember it all.  It’s not your life anymore.” He patted her knee. “This is you.”

That made her feel a bit better, and she smiled at him.  “This is a lot to think about,” She said, “I’m not sure what to think or say.”

John nodded, looking a bit deflated, but seeming to understand.  “Yeah, I can imagine. Shall I come back tomorrow?”

“Yeah, I think you’d better,” she said, “I’m sorry.”

“I expected it.” He kissed her on her forehead and got to his feet.  “Whatever you decide, Rose, I’ll agree with you. I’ll never force you.”

She got up and walked with him to the door, kissing his cheek before bidding him goodbye.  She didn’t want him to think she didn’t want him anymore because of what he said. Rose blew out her cheeks as soon as the door shut behind him. 

The whole night she spent looking at the photos and thinking about how what she would say to him tomorrow.  It was clearly them, she could see it in the photos of John. Her own images freaked her out a bit, but by the time she was falling asleep over the album, she knew what her answer would be. 

John came over again the next afternoon, and she cupped his cheeks in her hands before he was even over the threshold.  “I love you,” She told him. “I believe you.”

His face lit up. “You do?”

“Yeah,” She said, “I’ve been looking at the pictures all night, and I think… I think it’s possible.  I really do.”

He bent down and kissed her, that kiss full of so much promise and joy that Rose wasn’t even sure how to respond.  She pulled back and smiled up at him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you nervous.”

“Technically, Rose, I’ve waited hundreds of years for you.  I would’ve waited even longer.”

“Does being immortal make you more romantic?”

He laughed. “No, but I’ve had a bit of time to woo you.”  He winked and kissed her again, and though Rose couldn’t feel it, he could feel his immortality slipping finally releasing him, the burden escaping.  He would grow old with his true soulmate, his favorite woman in the universe.


End file.
